The New One
by JohnnyElRed
Summary: At the heart of the capital city of the most active hyperlane stop in the whole of the Greater Terran Union, ilegal dealings are another part of regular business. And there are some things not even the most ambitious would dare to trade with, but there is some idiot that always decides to take the risk. Based on the series Stellaris Invicta by the Templin Institute.
1. The Serea Vermella

**Hello. To anyone following Invicta, this is all set on the Vaikuntha System, on the colony of Moksha. I decided to do this, because I felt the world of the GTU didn't feel alive enough without the personal stories of the ones living in it. So, I decided to create this story after adding a little of development to the background that is Vaikuntha.**

 **Anyone on the Discord server of the Templin Instute can find a link to the carpet were all the fanon material the Stellaris Invicta community created in its channel, and I already shared this story there. Now, I'm doing so here, so it will be easier for anyone to find. It's not as developed as I would like, but if it was, I would had probably written an entire novel without intending to. XD**

 **But I hope you enjoy it regardless, and let me know what you think. I will uploading the next chapters from time to time, but they are already written and shared on Discord as I said. So don't worry. This won't go uncomplete. Until next time!**

* * *

Karma was a city of opportunities in a world of opportunities. Vitus Slane thought about that as he descended from the Shining Districts atop the mountain, to down under the shadow of the giant spaceports that encircled them. His was a luxurious gravi-car, chapped on black silver paint, and provided with its own internal system of heavy processing for tracking and steering. Since recently arriving to this world, he had a lot of luck in job opportunities. Others down there, not so much. But that didn't meant there wasn't any talent among them. Or at least his actual employer didn't think so.

The onboard computer didn't had any problem in guiding him to the area in the Shadow Districts he was looking for, and less in giving him all the available car platforms where to descend upon. As soon as the gravitons under the vehicle made contact with the wireless connections under the platform, the credit sensor in the car activated. After he passed his smart in front of it, the holographic screen on the front window showed him the tariff for minute of parking. His eyebrows went up, and his mouth almost fell open. One would expect the parking down here to be lower.

He just shaked his head, and stepped down from the vehicle before the platform descended, preparing to store the car underground. Vitus then revealed himself to the light of the day that rarely directly touched the Shadow Districts. Everything in his indumentary shouted corporate agent to his surroundings. From the long black leather coat, to the gloves of the same, passing through the black pieced suit underneath, to the strangely fitting black combat boots and, finally, the black sunglasses, even when they weren't needed at the moment. Passing to his physical appearance, he had a slim but probably wiry body, a clear cutted facial structure, and a pompadour haircut, cut to zero in the sides and the back. He was attractive, in a certain way.

Vitus stepped down through the stairs as the glasses informed him of his surroundings. His objective was only a few hundred meters away, but there was a notable presence of Iron Captors in that district. He wondered who could had hired them to supervise this sector. It's not like he or his current boss had any problem with them, but Vitus didn't liked the idea of going through a checkpoint controlled by private guards. He had been well advised about the possible dangers of these kind of situations in the Shadow Districts.

Nonetheless, he gave them no problems. Vitus pulled out his gun and deposited it in the table, before going through the scanner.

"Remain still, please." the armored man in front of the scanner asked him, before an orange warning signal popped on the blue screen. Vitus knew what this was about.

"Souvenir from the last invasion of Faraxia. Subdermal carbon fiber implants."

The man behind the helmet simply nodded, just before the screen turned green giving him free pass. The armored guard watching at the other end of the scanner gave him his gun back, and both mercenaries looked as Vitus continued his way.

"War wounds my ass." shouted the guard at the scanner.

"Why do you say that?"

"He didn't know we had access to the government databanks. This guy is no soldier. Intelligence analyst of deep space relays in Verdun. He has seen no front action."

"He lied? Why did you let him pass, then?"

"His service record is clean. There is no reason to suspect. And remember we are no officers, rookie. We have no authorization to detain people without a cause. But I do wonder to what those subdermal signals could be due to."

The "Moura Roxa" had always been a place full with laughter and drink. Normally filled to the brim with customers, this was a favorite place of reunion for people of the Shining and Shadow Districts of Karma alike. Those of the latter group could find the kind of drinks none of them could permit themselves in other establishments at a very attractive price, and a safe place in where to meet with their contacts from the Shining Districts. Those of the first group, had a place in where to find easy and cheap manual labour for their less reputable businesses, and spots of privacy where to delight in their more private and illicit pleasures without the risk of their friends and family up the mountain knowing.

Given all of this, the appearance of the interior was expensive, but also very roughly treated. Walls of pure white carbon fiber looked sickly yellowed due to the fumes of people smoking and weird experimental new cocktails. The comfortable leather seats of the synthetic plastic couches next to the tables were worn out and cut open in some places, with the stuffing almost coming out. The metallic paint of the stools at the bar had lost almost all of its shine. But excluding those details, it was a very comfortable and visually appealing place. There was an open circular spot at the entrance where most of the tables were located, a couple of steps down the floor level. A hall enveloped this area so people could pass through without bothering the rest of customers, leading to a very long bar counter, with views to a dance platform a floor down, and a discrete hall leading to the private tables and rooms on the other side. Behind the bar counter, there were four young waiters and waitresses serving people their drinks, just under a orange banner with a stabbed heart and two wings, just above the entrance of another hall, behind the counter, covered only by a curtain.

After leaving his coat and weapon at the checkroom at the entrance, Vitus took a seat in the cleanest looking stool in the bar counter, and one of the waitresses approached him.

"What can I get you?"

"Black Acadia. Short on the red partogan juice." Vitus waited to be served before continuing. "But what I really want is to talk with someone."

"That depends on who you want to talk with."

"Your boss."

"Hey! Patch!"

Only then the corporate agent noticed the small table almost hidden in a corner. As if the person seated on it wanted to have a good look to everyone approaching the counter every time they passed by without being noticed. The wessari sitting on the chair let his clandestine sophoxian cigar over the table, and with a grunt, moved his big belly to get on his feet.

"What do you want, young fella?"

Vitus looked at him from up the stool, almost with contempt.

"You are not the one I'm looking for."

"Well, I'm her boss." signaling the waitress.

"Then I want to talk to your boss."

"That depends on what you have to offer." with another head move, he signaled the table he was sitting at just a moment ago.

Vitus simply took his drink after acknowledging the waitress, and went to sit with Patch at his small table.

"Well, I'm all ears." the wessari said picking up his cigar.

"I have come here in representation of another person interests."

"That is obvious. You are not from around here, are you, boy?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Don't worry. It happens to everyone. You have that air. It will disappear after a time. But also, everyone wanting to talk with my lady boss normally does it following another channels. So taking into account you are a newbie that no one can connect with any other, and that the request is being made on person without following any trackable communication channels, I guess this is a matter to be treated with discretion and delicacy."

"... That would be a correct assumption."

"So, in order to make it easier on you, I'm only going to ask one thing: how much is your boss willing to pay?"

Vitus took a look at their surroundings, before getting his gloved hand in the inner pocket of his suit , he slipped an small metallic plate over the table to the wessari. Patch just took it, and after putting his digital eye lense over the ear to examine the piece, he went unexpectedly quiet for a moment.

"How many can your boss get us?"

"The maximum offer is three."

The wessari let slip a small laugh, and called the attention of the waitress.

"Hey, Naila! Tell Sara to come down here."

"Ehm… Are you sure, boss?" the girl doubted. "She was very clear about not interrupting her before..."

"Tell her there are three scratches involved. She will understand."

The girl nodded, and disappeared through the hall behind the curtain. Shortly after, she came back.

"The boss says she will be down here in 15 minutes or so. She had... personal matters to attend now."

Only a few minutes after, two young women of olive skin and dark hair of identical appearance left the same hall, with wrinkled clothes and slightly ruffled hair. Vitus had no idea who they were, but he recognized the family seal on the ring of one of them as they passed by.

"Were those two part of the Mhasalkar clan?"

"The twins? Yes. They are the granddaughters of Kamala."

"Didn't expect your boss to have dealings with the Aurora Trade Company after the rumours I heard about your past encounters."

Patch laughed, as he just had heard a very funny joke.

"She doesn't."

Before Vitus could ask him what he meant, the curtain moved again. This time, the woman to come out of it was well fit, of a red, long straight mane, light orange freckles on her cheeks, and blue eyes so clear that could be noted even from a distance. As she walked towards them after jumping over the counter, Vitus saw her better. She weared a pair of practical old military boots, grey jeans with holsters for her guns under her jacket, and a white undershirt of straps only partly covered by said leather jacket.

Vitus recognized the last one. It was common among many Space Command units to make this kind of personalized gifts to their members as a memento of their military service. The unique thing about this one, is that portrayed the icon and motto of "Ryan's Riders" in the back, and both sides of the shoulder arms.

"Show me." was the only thing she said after stopping next to them.

Patch passed her the "scratch" still on his hands. After examining it, her angry demeanor transformed into a smile, and looked at Vitus with mischievous eyes.

"Ok." she handled the scratch back to Vitus. "Let's go talk to my office."

Vitus moved to his feet, but was surprised to see the wessari and the woman moving in the opposite direction to the hall behind the curtain.

"Oh, my office isn't there." she explained noticing his confusion. "There there's only my dormitory and the rest of my apartment."

He wondered then why would Ferreira take the twins to talk business in her bedroom. The answer came to him alone, as he examined that thought.

Patch let them alone in a comfortably decorated room with views to the dancing floor a level under them, behind a tainted glass. The floor was completely covered in synthetic fur, the walls were illuminated with lights that changed in tone with time, and these were decorated with pieces of illegal faraxian art. The most ostantegous of the collection, one titled "The Plight of the Levitating Gardens", representing an exceptionally cruel moment of the first terran occupation of Faraxia. One even the most xenophobic Marshalls of the union like to pretend never happened. Where others would have a chair and a table, Sara had a very long couch in form of a semi sphere, a small coffee table and a small armchair in front where people on business could sit to talk with her. Vitus took seat on the later.

"Thanks for receiving me, Miss Ferreira. My name is of no relevance. But my employer…"

"Is he an idiot, or is he desperate?"

"... I beg your pardon?"

"Do you know how much anyone would give for a quarter of what you hold in your jacket?" she signaled the pocket where he holded the scratch. "Yet your employer has let you walk among the Shadow Districts unprotected and alone. So, he is either desperate for help, or an idiot. Which is it?"

Vitus looked down, pulled out his shades, and started cleaning them with a handkerchief.

"There is a third option you haven't considered." he put them again before looking up. "Maybe he just trusts me that much."

Sara Ferreira laugh.

"Taking into account no one on world has any idea of who you are, I'm to suppose that this is not because of personal confidence, but of professional one. So you might have made a name of yourself outside. A name big enough to make you find job among the Shining Districts with the rich, but not big enough to make yourself known here."

"I'm not here to make myself famous."

"Oh. Then it's just than you don't know how to be conspicuous. Put the sunglasses down, man. You don't need them here. Is almost as dark as night."

"I'm afraid I can't."

"Oh. Mysterious."

"Like I said, I'm not here to talk of myself. My employer needed of your services to help locate someone."

"And do I get to know who and why is paying me this? Don't answer. It was a rhetorical question. But I do need to know who I'm looking for, and the nature of what he has, knows, or has stolen."

"I'm not sure I'm authorized to provide with everything you ask."

"Of course not." sighed. "Do I get the name of the culprit, at least? I need something to work from."

"I'm here for more than to contact you to hire your services. I'm here to supervise the search, and make sure that the secrets of my employer do not spill. And I was asked to talk with you, because my employer says you are the better option for anyone looking either for information, or for people."

"Mostly I dedicate myself to help others preserve their heads, or to lose them. But yes. I'm also good at that."

For her manner of speaking, Vitus was convinced that by "good", she was forcing herself to be modest.

"He said you knew in what kind of shadow market look to find the culprit before he sells to other party what he has."

"Hmf. There are lots of those on this city." she reclined on the couch. "More in the planet. But the fact that your boss is worrying so much about keeping every secret from absolutely everyone, including his or her own identity, makes me think this is something in the black list of dangerous goods of the Customs Office. Those considered so dangerous, not even the Marshalls would risk to get caught with or approve of, and that would immediately create a planetary crackdown on Moksha the moment the secret spilled. Correct?"

He made no sign of agreement.

"Tsk. Well, let's assume that. Being the case, most probably the person we are looking for is also worried about that. So, it's probably looking for a buyer or distribution group the stupid or ambitious enough to risk purchasing that kind of stuff. That shortens the list immensely."

"It doesn't matter how you lead us to it. Just that it's done."

"Have it your way. But thanks for confirming my theory."

"I haven't said anything."

"No. But taking into account the emergency of your proposal, had I been wrong, you would have corrected me immediately, wouldn't you?"

Vitus didn't answered. But this time, because he was left exposed.

"So, don't tell me anything else. It will be fun to guess myself." said moving to her feet. "Come back tomorrow morning, and we will begin following my first hunches."

"We can't wait to tomorrow. I don't think you understand the emergency."

"Believe me. This kind of things move slower than most assume, and more with forbidden materials. In fact, the longer we wait, the higher are the possibilities of them uncovering themselves. So now go back to your house, hotel room or whatever, and take a good night of sleep. We will see eachother in the morning."

Vitus waited before moving. But when he did, he didn't seem annoyed or angry by her words. Instead, he silently took his leave, and left her alone on the room.

Then, an holographic screen over the coffee table appeared. There were security images of every movement of Vitus since he entered the local. There was something severely off putting about him. Even for a corporate agent standards. When someone knocked on the door, she closed the screen.

"Come in."

Another wessari entered this time. Tall and broad like a wardrobe, and with the physique of a culturist. He had appearance of bouncer or bodyguard more than anything.

"We checked his things in the checkroom before he left, as you said. Nothing unusual. No documentation in any pocket. But for some reason, his gun was completely empty."

"What?" Sara looked at Xabarín weird. "That's ridiculous. What kind of person carries a weapon he is not going to use?"

"Maybe because he was afraid of coming down here, but had no guts to do it like that."

"No. I highly doubt it." Ferreira leaned forward holding her chin. "He seemed too composed and professional in his way of moving around people to be that. He has made this before. But then, why worry with the gun?"

To her mind, came various ideas. The more she liked, was that the gun was a possible distraction. To put the attention of people were they shouldn't given the situation. But, to distract them from what?


	2. Shadow-marketeers

"Pretty car. Do they sell them in red?"

Vitus waited on the driver seat of his vehicle as Sara entered it. The woman admired the interior.

"Very spartan. But also very clean. Hmf. I don't recognize that control. What is for?"

Vitus hold her by the wrist as she tried to touch it. He was stronger than she expected for someone so thin.

"Let's concentrate on the matter at hand, Miss Ferreira."

"Of course." said caresing her hand. "Do you know the surroundings or the district?"

"You know well I don't."

"Then it would be better if you let me drive."

"That is not going to happen."

"It will be faster if I drive instead of giving indications."

"You said it yourself. These matters take time. There is no rush."

Sara smiled. She could not see it on his straight face, but it was clear Vitus was enjoying his own joke.

"Then elevate us over the buildings. I need to locate ourselves."

Vitus did as he was asked. And soon, they were soaring over the buildings following Sara indications. But just after that, she asked of him to drop down again to ground level, and follow the kinetic roads, under the excuse that a car like his would call a lot less attention going to ground level that if levitating over the buildings. Especially to the district they were going to move into.

Because even among the Shadow Districts there were different statuses. Just under the shadow of the great spaceports, the closest to that giant platforms and docking areas, there were those with the most success and influence on the Shadow Districts. Successful entrepreneurs like her, and crime bosses with a great network of contacts and employers among the Shining Districts. Then, the lower you descend down the mountain, or the farest away you got from it, came those not so lucky.

There lived the muscle of the illicit businesses of Moksha. Thugs and hired guns without the prestige or skill enough to success individually, the cheap working hands of the industries in the middle districts, and the dockers of the industrial spaceports. This change of position was obvious on the architecture. The buildings were newer, but built in cheaper products like aluminium and even wood, and with the houses all crammed up almost on top of eachother. There was practically no space for cars to move. So Sara asked Vitus to park when they were still on the fringes of the Shadow District more rich neighborhood, and make the rest of the way on foot.

As they stepped down on the muddy ground, the change of people was also obvious. Here were common the little beggars and pocketeers. Children with no parents, or parents not talented enough for the greater standards of the union. Families living on the open, on houses of brick and plastic connected to each other by platforms on top. One would expect this to be a sight only worth of Moksha. But this was one of the few idiosyncrasies common to all worlds of the union. In fact, this was the world where these people had it the easiest to leave the slums. With one of their only ways of prospering being with the contractors that sometimes acted like mafia bosses, and sometimes as intermediaries with the rich above for those in search of manual job up the mountain.

"I would zip up your coat if I were you." Sara warned him, as they moved among the poverty. "The Bull Sharks may not be kind to you if they see that nice suit underneath."

"The Bull Sharks?" asked while following her advice.

"Oh, right. You are new. Well, with a little bit of luck, you will never get to know."

That was her only answer, as she laughed under her closed lips. That was a woman Vitus had a hard time getting a read on.

Soon they were arriving to a small plaza, with an strangely well made fountain in it's center. Around it, a bunch of kids hurled peebles to the water, with Vitus incapable of following the logic of their game. They same seemed it could not be said about Sara.

"Wait here."

Vitus watched her walk towards them, and the kids seemed happy to see her. They all were using ripped or mismatched clothes, but smiled with genuine happiness while looking at her. He could not hear what they said. But saw perfectly how she deposited something small in the palms of some of them. Then, she turned around as they disbanded, and went next to Vitus again.

"What was that about?" he asked with arms crossed.

"The person we need to talk to is not kind to strangers. He only talks with people he can trust, like me, and probably will not like to see you here."

"I still don't get what the kids have to do with."

"People here need eyes and ears everywhere. When the technological ones are too fancy and call too much attention, you make use of the inconspicuous ones. Down here, they are the most similar thing there is to an information network."

"I think I understand. You paid them to sent a message to your contact for us?"

"No. That would be too obvious, and the secret of our meeting would spill immediately. I paid them to tell anyone that might be interested, that Sara Ferreira is down here looking for rare and pricey things."

"Just that? Rare and pricey things?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Doesn't seem silly to you?"

"Only to anyone that doesn't know the argot down here. Case and point..."

As she pointed around them, Vitus looked at the men he had felt approaching before. All of obvious bad hygiene, and ugly appearance fruit of years of fighting and broken noses. Sara noticed how Vitus tensed. Then, she just put a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax."

As she said that, Sara walked towards the first of the men approaching them. Probably the leader, Vitus assumed.

"Ferreira."

"Markus."

"Who is your friend?"

"An interested buyer."

"You know that's not what I'm asking."

"Pity. That's what I'm answering."

"You have a pair to come down here after last time."

"Why should I be worried? Your boss and I left in good terms."

"That was before he discovered you were the one his husband was cheating him with." Markus pushed her back with one finger.

Vitus started asking himself if he would need to step in.

"What? That's ridiculous. I never slept with Yasu."

"Someone heard you making out on the bathroom, and he admitted to it."

"Exactly! Making out. A simple drunk kiss is far away from cheating with someone."

The men were angry. Vitus prepared to move, but Sara did so first. One of her pistols was directly against Markus forehead.

"If Okoro has any problem with what Yasu and I did at the party, we can discuss it on private as adults. In the contrary, this would make a public spectacle of everything. And we do not want that, do we?"

Markus looked at her with contained anger, before buffing and stepping back.

"Wait a moment."

Then, he turned around with his men as they covered the bright of an holographic projection, as if they were talking to someone. By the tone, it seemed it was going to last long.

"You seem to have a reputation down here." Vitus said without looking at her.

"What do you mean?"

"First those twins, grandnieces of one of the most powerful women in the outer rim, and now the husband of a powerful shadow-marketeer? You seem to enjoy a lot sexual pleasure, even if it puts you in a difficult position."

"Not really. Is just that when I see something I like, I just go after it. But it happens with everything."

"And do you like me?"

Sara observed him with a lifted eyebrow. But he didn't seem faced or even interested by his own words.

"What are you asking?"

"You are a extraordinarily beautiful woman in the physical regard, and a highly intriguing one in the mental sense. When all of this is done, I would like to invite you to dinner, and what might happen later."

"..."

"Should I take that as a no?"

"No. Or at least… not yet. Is just… that was way too direct for someone that, for now, seemed to me as being very stoic."

"If I'm direct, is because I'm stoic. When I want something, I see no sense in dancing around it."

"He, he. Then is something we two already have in common."

Just at the same moment this conversation ended, Markus and the rest of the thugs turned around towards them.

"You have five minutes."

Shortly after, a limousine stepped just in front of them, just as the men left the plaza. The backdoor of the vehicle opened, and only a voice came out of it.

"Get in."

Vitus and Sara looked at eachother, and the first let her enter first with a gentle gesture.

"What a gentleman." said rolling her eyes.

As they stepped in, the heavy odour of cologne overwhelmed their noses. Even while their seat at the back of the car was separated by security glass from the person receiving them at the other side.

There sitted an incredibly obese but well dressed black man. He needed a respirator as the tubes over his nose pointed out, and holded a cup of artemisian wine in one hand. Probably opened the wine in an effort to relax, because Sara's presence was obviously infuriating to him.

"Ferreira."

"C'mon. Last month we were on a first name basis, Okoro. What has-?"

"Say what you have to say, and let's be done with this. I have no interest on chatting. And less with you."

Sara shut up, and complained with a smile in her face. Then signaled Vitus to talk.

"First of all, I want to thank you for receiving us."

"Are you not going to thank me "in the name of my employer", corporate agent? Don't even pretend you are not. You stink of it."

"Told you." Sara intervened.

Vitus let out a sigh, before getting to talk again.

"Ok. Then I thank you in the name of my employer. And as my employer has solicited, we are on the look for a rare artefact…"

"So it is an object." Sara interrupted as she found it funny.

"You will have to be more concrete than that, boy. If you are afraid of speaking before this harlot, I can have her thrown away."

"Please." lifter her jacket to show one of her guns. "Do try."

"It will be probably be easier to identify the owner before the object." Vitus continued. "Short. Skinny. Pebble glasses."

"You just described half of the engineers in this city."

Vitus sighed, and finally showed Okoro an image in his smart.

"This person."

"Ah, yes. Weird guy. Came around here trembling as a sick faraxian asking for a dealer for something he wanted to sell. Very openly, by the way. It was obvious he wasn't accustomed to this. Someone send him my way, but instead of telling me what he wanted to sell, he started asking questions. Like what should he do if he wanted to sell a Black List article. Then I said him that looking for another seller, and sent him his way."

"C´mon, Okoro." Sara interrupted Vitus before he could talk. "Do you really expect me to believe that you got rid of him without giving him any directions? You may deceive our friend the off-worlder here, but not me. I know your guild. Whenever you deal with property you can't handle, you give word to a friend that can in the basis of a commission. So, now be sincere. With whom did you sent him?"

"I have nothing to explain to you, Ferreira!" the shadow-marketeer moved his morbidly obese body forward in anger. "As you well said, in this guild we pay dearly for information and access. So. What do you have for me, off-worlder."

Vitus adjusted his shades.

"My contractor gave me a limited pool of resources to complete this mission. I only really expected to contract the services of one to find my objective. So, right now, there is only one thing I can pay you with: my free services whenever you need them."

"Ha!" he punched the couch. "Favours make for a lousy coin, my friend. If this is all really you have to offer, I'm sorry but our conversation must end here."

"Or…" Sara pulled out one of her weapons, and pointed it to the black man. "We can try another type of exchange."

"Are you for real here, girl?" Okoro knocked on the barrier between them. "This is a reinforced security crystal. You just made the dumbest mo-"

One shot and one bullet got directly through the crystal and the front of the car, leaving the mafia boss with his ears ringing. Just after the shot, when the bodyguard and the driver opened the back door, she also pointed at them with her other weapon.

"What are you really expecting to get out of this, girl?"

"What he has asked." pointing at Vitus. "Also, a little bit of justice for Yasu."

"Leave my husband out of this. He has no…"

"C´mon. He is 30 years younger than you, and barely an adult. The only reason he is still with you, is that he is afraid of what you might make if he leaves. He is a sweet boy that deserves far better than you."

The bodyguard tried to act as she was occupied talking. He only got a bullet to the head.

"I told you I wanted to be conspicuous." Vitus said with a strangely relaxed tone. "This is not it."

"Relax. I have it under control."

"Leaving a trail of bodies doesn't look like it to me."

"True. Then we better don't leave any witnesses, do we?" said with a smile, while adorably inclining her head and looking at Okoro.

"Hey, hey, wait a minute! If you kill me, you don't get what you want from me."

"True. But if you don't get to tell us, of what use are you to us?"

Okoro looked at Vitus in search of mercy, and he suddenly understood Sara's plan.

"I only can guarantee your safety if you tell me who you sent the engineer with."

"Oh, you would love that, wouldn't you? What guarantees me that you will keep your word, then?"

"What guarantees you that you will survive if you don't?" Sara said.

Okoro swallowed.

"Alright. It was Kaur. Kaur Sherazi. Are you happy now? Can I leave?"

Vitus took a look at Sara. Didn't knew her enough to know if she was going to keep her word. But given the situation, he doubted she would.

"Sure thing." the redhead said putting her guns back on her holsters. "See you around then, Okoro. And thanks for the information."

"Please, leave already." he said pissed off and relieved.

When Sara and Vitus got out of the car, the driver got out of their way startled, but without quitting his eyes from then as they left.

"Why did you that?"

"Shooting him? It was the easiest way to…"

"No. Forgiving his life. After this, he is probably going to get after you. Aren't you worried?"

"Not really. Neither because of me, neither for Yasu. The thing is, secrecy and trust and two of the things most shadow-marketeers more value when dealing amongst themselves. So, what do you think Shezari is going to do once I tell her who gave us the lead to her?"

"... You are a colder being than I expected."

"Is not lack of empathy." she turned around to give a last look at the car leaving. "Is basic survival instincts."


	3. Madame Sherazi

Sangeet Avenue was probably the most open ended space and district in Karma not situated in one of the giant artificial platforms atop the mountain shadowing the Shadow Districts, but in the scarce natural ground of the thin island in where the city was settled. Next to a natural harbor, now only used by fishermen, due to space ships traffic becoming even cheaper and faster than boat travel to keep the cities of the planet communicated, Sangeet was the most visited upon Shadow District by the youths of the Shining Districts.

It was secure enough for keeping away the most dangerous and violent bands, and exotic enough to keep calling the attention of the rich above their heads. This district called upon tired travelers in the middle of long journeys and typical residents alike. If you had any pleasure or need unfulfilled, Sangeet would provide it to you.

"Those kind of pleasures go from the most mundane and harmless, like gambling houses and a greyhound racing stadium, to the most dangerous and weird like exotic xeno drugs, and brothels that are rumoured to hold xeno prostitutes." Sara related.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Vitus asked as he looked for a place to land and park.

"Because it will help you know who we are dealing with here. The reason Kaur Sherazi and her predecessors picked this place as her base before any other, was the overwhelming amount of rich idiot kids in the look for things normally they don't get provided in the respectful high society. So trust me when I tell you that she will sell anything to anyone, and buy anything from anyone."

"So?"

"That she might not want to get rid of what your companion the corporate weasel wants her to sell by the good of her heart."

"Noted." said with the same calm and monotone demeanor as always.

The first thing Vitus noted after landing, was that these placed definitely feeled more shining than shadowed. In a weird sight that had no preceded the other Shadow Districts that he had visited, GTU police officials patrolled the streets, instead of mercenaries or Special Reaction Units. But still, the amount was irregular. Way higher than atop was still a Shadow District, nonetheless.

They came across a street full of shop windows of brothels and sex shops with semi naked men and women dancing in the interior, and went past through and alley were an illicit small gambling shop announced itself with a neon sign. After that, they came up to a small open space, protected by the walls of the sordidness of their surroundings, housing an elegant fountain and a which, there was the front of a building with a four-centered arch, decorated with small plates of jade and marble. It was well hidden, and no one would expect to find this kind of classical mughal architecture in this street.

"Do you know Sherazi?" Vitus asked.

"Only by reputation." Sara responded.

After surrounding the fountain and going up the stairs to the main entrance, they found themselves before a bouncer, and a well dressed woman behind a table, that seemed to act as a receptionist.

"Welcome to the Hanging Gardens of Madame Sherazi. Do you want the special treatment, or are you here for the pools?"

Pools? Inside a city? Vitus didn't understand. But yet again, Ferreira made her move before him.

"Tell Madame Sherazi that Sara Ferreira, of the Moura Roxa, has come looking for rare and pricey things."

The bouncer behind them tensed himself, yet the receptionist remained calm. She simply put herself on her feet, and said:

"A moment, please."

Then, she disappeared through a wooden door of a fake wall behind the desk. Both Vitus and Sara took a look over their shoulders to the bouncer, now arms crossed behind them.

"For a group of people that need to watch the clientele closely, shadow-marketeers do not worry much about their secret codes." Vitus said.

"For what purpose would it serve? They need new clients able to find them, and they can't do that if they change their passwords every week. Besides, this is Moksha. This is Vaikuntha." she smiled to him. "As long as you follow their rules, authorities here always look to the other side."

The receptionist came back, and moved from behind the table towards them.

"Follow me, please."

She indicated them to move to one of two lateral halls. After starting following her through it, they did not take time in crossing in front a couple of locker rooms, and turned right to a glass door before a steamy room. Vitus could not believe his eyes. It's not only that he had ever seen so much clean and potable water in the interior of any kind of settlement. He never had seen it being used with so much disregard. Most terran citizens had between 2 to 4 hours of hot water use in their homes. They normally assigned 10 or 30 minutes to showering. But in this place, there were people bathing in pools that most probably alberged 100 gallons of water each one.

White marble slabs covered walls, pillars and ground. The roof above them, was merely several glass windows that let the natural light enter. Around them, massage pools, cabinets for steam rooms and long corridors of water surrounded them. Filled with clients from the upper districts of Moksha and tourists alike. But this was only the fastest route to where they were really going.

They accessed another room at the other end of the thick hall crossing the bathing area of the spa. This one reminded Vitus of what he had seen of Ferreira's office back at her pub. Not in style, but in disposition. A vast room, less filled with furniture, but equally full of art. But this time, focusing more on small statues than pictures on the walls. Vitus could recognize even a small piece of certainly algan design. Probably imported from the Union of Nimerium. But the difference in styles was still obvious. If Ferreira's place was modern and punk, this one was more classical and elegant. Either way, Sara seemed delighted with the exposition.

Only after the receptionist asked them to stay put and wait, did they noticed what was happening at the other side of the room. Over a bunch of gym mats, a group of people in fighting and sport clothing were surrounding a couple of sparrers, watching their fight. Of the two practicing combatants, the one calling more attention was the woman. Kaur Sherazi herself.

Towering above her opponent with a height of around 1.90 meters, the word that would better describe her was amazon. After his experience with the previous shadow-marketeer, Vitus had in his mind an image of all of them as lazy creatures full of greedy desires. It did not surprised him her beauty, as much as her physical prowess. Aside her defined muscles and well shaped body, her skin was of a dark bronze, and her light green eyes were thin and sharp, as much as her fleshy lips. Her jaw had a generally squared shape, but soft on its sides, and had an apparently wild unruly mane of hair gripped into a ponytail, but not to much avail. It only barely prevented it from getting into her eyes.

After she sent her last opponent to the ground, and the rest around her seemed reluctant of involving themselves, the receptionist approached the first waver. It was after she pointed at their way and Kaur took a look, that Vitus noticed the way Ferreira looked at her. It was like she got hypnotized for a moment. But that moment passed as soon as Kaur took a towel and loosened her hair, before starting to walk towards them.

"Sara Ferreira." the first waver saluted as someone passed her a bottle of water. "I have heard a lot about you, and your reputation."

"Good things, I expect."

"Most of them." didn't move her eyes of Ferreira as she drinked. "But I never expected to see you around this district. And less, in my humble bath house."

"Oh, I also have heard a lot of… mostly good things, about you. But I must say, your excellent art taste was not one of them. Is that a reproduction of the partogan master Aelinor magnum opus "the Dread of the Love God"?"

Vitus was starting to think they have forgotten he was there. But either way, he looked at the direction Ferreira was pointing out of curiosity. What he found was the 2 meter tall sculpture of what appeared to be a member of the partogan species being devoured by a monster with traces of a tyrium and a either drake. Like if the mix was an ugly bastard of both. He lacked the taste to see any beauty in it, but both women seemed to find it fascinating.

"Well, you only are half right."

"Oh? In what I'm mistaken?"

"That's no reproduction."

They both laughed as if they were mischievous little girls after perfoming a prank on their parents. Vitus then started to notice. Were those two flirting in front of everyone in the room? He took a look, and saw that the rest of fighters seemed to be more interested in continuing with the sparring matches than anything else. Was this a normal occurrence, then?

"But if this is among the shinny and pricey things you are looking for, I'm sorry to tell you I can't help. These pieces here are part of my private collection."

"Actually, I'm not the buyer here." gestured at Vitus, next to her. "I accompany someone else, that by his part represents a third person."

"Corporate agent." she buffed, between tired and bored. "Of course it's a corporate agent."

"I'm, miss Sherazi. And I have come here to…"

"Ah, ah, ah. We better talk in my office."

Next door there was a smaller habitacle that the open guest room of Ferreira, and decorated much more classically, in the line of mughal and sikh styles they saw before. In front of the well sculpted table of mahogany, there was a rococo couch for clients and guests to sit. It was weird to see not only a woman of that build in a room so reminiscent of the ancient past, but that had no problems in receiving her clients in sportswears.

"So, tell me." Kaur accommodated herself in her padded chair, as she signaled the couch. "What can I do for a client from atop the Shining Districts?"

"Well, the situation is this, miss." Vitus said as he took seat with Ferreira.

"Madame, please. The sign outside it's not just decoration"

"Of course. Madame, then. A rare and valuable object was subtracted from my employer. The person who did so, worked for him. And we have been lead to believe that the person in question may have come to you in search of a safe channel to sell it and get rid of it as fast as he could."

"Aha. And who has led you to believe this person has come to me? I don't deny it, because right now I don't even realize who you are talking about, but it would be nice to know anyway."

"That depends on how much does that detail value to you." Sara interrupted before Vitus could respond.

"Ha! You have come for me to give, and now you want to get paid for it." she denied with her head, amused. "You are lucky I have a weakness for pretty girls. What do you want?"

"I saw the "Three Faces of the Vol" in your gallery out there. That for the name."

"Get out of town."

"Then the name, and I would exchange with you my "Renaissance of the White Florian.""

"You have a reproduction?" she asked skeptical with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, you would be only half right."

"Could we get back in track, please?" Vitus started to sound annoyed.

"Bummer."

"Right. We can discuss the details of all of that later. But right now, I need to know more about what you are searching, spy boy."

"As Miss Ferreira suspected before we came here, the object in question would normally be classified under the black list of the Customs Office."

Kaur amused smile immediately disappeared.

"This is a serious matter. So you better not be joking."

"Do we look like jokers to you?" Sara joked.

"Few here would take the risk of selling something from the black list, and less possessing it. I can assure you that if someone had came here with one, he would have my complete attention, and would have kept him and the object secure before making sure it was safe to sell."

"Are you saying you don't have it?" Vitus inquired.

Kaur Sherazi simply denied with her head.

"He lied." Sara said annoyed. "Of course he did. But how could have I believed him?"

"Who lied?"

"Another shadow-marketeer named Okoro." Vitus answered without much doubt, looking to clarify his own questions. "After he denied selling the object to the thief, he told us he had sent him in to you."

"Okoro?" the first waver put herself on feet completely surprised. "That giant slimeball? He hates me as much as I do! In fact, I have been taking care of some of his people after he sent them to the bath house in the form of false clients to steal me real clients from this part of my business. Why would he risk sending you here and telling me his name, when he could have sent you into a false track?"

"Ha! That's another thing we have in common. We hate each other as well." Sara said in ironic enjoyment, but she started realize something. "Wait. But if he hated me, and he already had his men on the plaza when we asked them to talk to him…"

"Why didn't he just send them against us, instead of wasting time talking with you and put himself at risk if he had decided he was going to lie to us?" Vitus concluded.

"There is something stinky going on, and I don't like it."

Without warning, she left the room and came back to the gallery-gym of before, and started shouting orders.

"You! Get changed and tell the others to stay alert about anyone suspicious nearing the building. Kate! I need you to find Okoro right no…" she looked around her. "Kate?"

"What happens?" Vitus asked.

"My secretary. The one that warned me you came. I tell her to always stay near when I'm with clients."

"Your receptionist is also your secretary?" Sara raised an eyebrow. "So short of good personnel are you?"

"What? No. She is not my receptionist. That one is… Wait. Kate received you at the door? But she never…"

Muffled shoots. In the other side of the building. Before anyone could get ready, a door came down, and a flash bang rolled through the floor. Sara covered her ears and eyes as soon as she had hear the rumbling. It had become almost a subconscious reaction due to all of her years of military drills. Others were not so lucky. But she had no time of assessing the situation.

She quickly took cover behind the sculpture of the love god of Partoga, and watched for the door. Men and women dressing as typical mooks of the lower bands came spitting lead and plasma in weapons too big and good for them. This was definitely the work of shadow-marketeer of the lowest districts. Just like Okoro.

But as soon as Sherazi disoriented men started getting mowed down, she moved into action. Not wanting to attract shots to such beautiful peace of art, Ferreira got out of behind her cover, pulled out both her guns, and went shooting at the attackers coming from the small entrance. She caused way more harm with only 12 bullets in each pistol, that the squadron of six that had assaulted them with their assault rifles with full chambers of 50. In fact, at the end of those shorter than usual 3 seconds, she had only wasted five bullets. One of them was an intentional one shot, two birds.

"Ok! Now who wants… Wow."

After recovering her sight, Kaur immediately stumbled upon the dead bodies of the attackers, and the lonely figure of Sara among the carnage, guns still smoking. She had an expression of genuine awe in her during almost half a minute.

"How did you…?"

"Practice and natural talent." said holsering her guns. "How is your people?"

"Yeah, my people." said sounding distracted.

Had her not noticed it a moment before, when Sherazi was still awestruck with her, Sara would have guessed the blush on her dark cheeks was due to the anger. But that didn't mattered now.

"Crap. García and Bellanova dead. Another five injured. Okoro is going to pay for this."

"This is not over. Probably more outside. You, Vitus and me should…" she looked around. "Where is he?"


	4. The Manor

The Hanging Gardens were near a very protected and transited area. So Okoro double agents inside made sure to close the bath house soon after Vitus and Sara arrival, and keeping the fighting inside, preventing unwanted attention and potential collateral victims among the shinies visiting the place. Because one of the main reasons crime survived in Moksha so effectively, was discretion. And as discreetly as had begun, Sherazi and Sara had started dispatching the mooks left.

"Don't you want a gun?" Sara asked taking cover behind a pillar.

"That's not my strong."

As a madwoman, and moving faster than anyone would expect from someone of her size and bulk, Kaur walked openly among the hot pools. Then, she launched herself against one of the nearest enemy shooters taking cover, and crashed his head against the marble floor, effectively making both break. After taking a look, Sara could not recognize what was left on the floor as a head.

But that was not it. When a couple of goons with electro staffs thought it better to handle this close and personal, she started moving like a cobra evading their strikes by twisting only the upper half of her body, without stepping back and inch. Then, she quickly grabbed the wrist of one of them, twisting his hand in an angle the human body should not be able to imitate naturally.

Unfortunately, the other guy caught her by moving to the other side, and sticked the staff between her ribs, keeping it pressed as it shocked her. But instead of falling to the ground, she braced herself holding the pain, and turned to look at him with her face twisted by rage. And just like that, in one punch to the chest, the attacker stepped backwards, as small trails of blood fell from his mouth, before falling to the ground.

Just as Sherazi tried to gain her foot as the pain passed away, a barrage of bullets went over her head, effectively cleaning the room of enemies, with the rest on a rushed retreat.

"Are you ok?" Sara asked her, guns smoking still.

"Yeah. I just need a moment. But why didn't you do that before the other guy could get me from behind?"

"I didn't had a clear shot. Also, you seemed to have it, and I was curious to see how you were going to pull it off."

"Why? Did you expected to get rid of me so you didn't had to give me your painting?"

"Nah. Is just that I always enjoy watching a good fight." she smiled. "But it's not like these guys were much sport to you. Aren't we going to chase them?"

"Don't bother." she cracked her neck. "They will either get rid of the guns and disappear into the multitude, or they bribed someone atop the police and they let them pass. That would explain how they got here in the first place. But that's a concern for later on the day. Any sign of your friend?"

"No. And if he was shot, we would have found his body by now. I fear he has decided to go after Okoro himself alone, and oblige him deliver the thief and the merch."

"Are you worried?"

"Of course I'm! Either if he dies or gets what he wants, I'm not getting paid the second half of our contract. Fortunately, I already know where Okoro lives, and he doesn't. But it wouldn't surprise me if Vitus is using one of Okoro's goons to guide him. Anyway, aren't you going after Okoro too after this? Should I guide your men to there?"

"I would prefer to accompany you myself… alone." she took a look back, examining her own gang tending their own wounded. "Apparently, my own secretary has set my up. I don't know who else here could be a snitch. Until I can sort out who can I trust, I prefer to do this myself."

"Do you think we two will be enough?"

"With Okoro?" she raised an eyebrow.

"I know. I was being sarcastic." the redhead smiled.

"He. Wait a moment here. I need to change and clean up a little. Then, I will get us a ride."

"What do you think?"

Oh, she liked the motorbike alright. Stylized with a green carcass, and black lines resembling the back of a tiger, with its teeth at the front. But Sara liked seeing her on that tight black bodysuit and blue jeans much more. Even with the green jacket covering most of it. But of course, she could not say that outloud.

"Pretty. But I have seen better."

"It's not about the looks. Is about what you can do with it."

"Can it get us to Okoro's place before Vitus makes something stupid?"

"That depends on how fast can you give indications along the way. Or, you know." Kaur passed a helmet at Sara, as she put hers on and took seat at the handles of the vehicle. "If you can just write the direction in the computer GPS."

* * *

In the closer parts of the city to the sea, and the most distanced from the giant platforms of the space ports built upon the mountains, there were the most secure and economically stable neighborhoods among the Shadow Districts. Where the small and big manors rested, built upon metal poles over the water, and leaning over the sandy beaches in canals full of yachts and other small recreational boats. Here, there was no place for the rich industrialists and traders of the upper city. This was the place for their right hands upon the Shadow Districts. The crime lords and shadow-marketeers that they called for upon aid most often.

"Do you keep binoculars on the bag of your bike always?"

"Hey. A girl needs to be prepared for every eventuality."

The curious thing about Kaur's bike was its ability to overcraft over every superficy, horizontal or vertical. Right now, they were leaning over the roof of a small apartment building just in the limit of the Dhan Shore district, were all the manors rested upon, next to a small but well supplied commercial and entertainment district. It was not a high altitude, but enough to oversee most of the manors.

"Do you see anything?" the first waver asked.

"Nothing out of the normal. If not, Okoro's security seems tighter than usual. But that's not saying much, as paranoid as he can be. Hm. All of the guards are of his own band. No mercenaries or private security forces."

"I can guess why. Whatever they have brought him, if its part of the black list, he would want word to spread as little as possible. Any sign of your friend?"

"No. He probably is still watching the manor from somewhere like us. I don't have any idea of how good he is, but I don't think he will be able to… Oh."

"What?"

"I just found his car."

They took less time in getting down, than up. 300 meters away from Okoro's manor, hidden under the shadow of a group of trees in a sandy road next to the entrance to a park, they confirmed Sara's suspicion. She approached the vehicle with care and a gun pulled out, but immediately let out a breath, and lowered her pistol.

"Empty?"

"Empty."

As Sara looked through the window searching for any clue, Kaur moved around it and towards the back, like examining its exterior.

"I know this kind of cars. Corporate agents and assassins always remove the alarms and the trackers to prevent calling attention to themselves if things go array, but keep wired an alert signal to their smarts and electric traps in case anyone tries to mess with the interior. We are gonna have to…"

"Aaaaand deactivated."

When Kaur looked up, she found the driver's door open, with Sara's leaning in the interior searching for clues.

"How did you…?"

"What? Did you thought I was only a pretty face and a nice body? Remember, dealing with corporate agents is part of my business. I know their tricks, and I know of electronics."

"Ha. Nice to know. And it also seems you were right before." she pointed at the track after opening it. "One of Okoro's people led him here."

Sara took a look, to find the body of a woman with a snapped neck, and Okoro's colours marking her clothing.

"Shit." turned her head to look at the mansion. "If he is not here, he probably is trying to sneak into house. If that's the case, I say we either wait here for him until he comes back, or if the guards start moving, try to get in ourselves with the confusion."

"Yeah. I like much more the first scenario than the second."

"I thought you wanted to kill Okoro."

"Thing I will not be able to do, if I get full of bullets first."

"Well, either way, we really don't have a choice. We will have to wait and see how the situation develops. But I don't… wait."

Kaur turned around. Even from afar, she and Sara could see the guards around the manor were moving.

"It seems he has spooked them. Do you really want to get in?"

"I don't get paid if he dies."

"You don't get paid if you die."

"... Good point." she took cover behind a tree. "Let's wait to see who comes out of that door first then."

Once all of the guards and mooks had gotten inside the manor, only one figure was left stumbling outside. A thin long man with glasses, carrying a metal box between his arms. Once Sara took another look with the binoculars, he could see the box in question was chained to his wrists. He seemed nervous and scared, and wanting nothing but to get out of there.

"Do you see the same I do?"

"Yes. That guy seems to have all the numbers to be the one we are looking for."

"And even if he wasn't, he is our only place to start asking questions." Sara started meditating about the best way to approach this. "There could be people watching the street. Or someone could come out again and try to follow him. We better watch him from afar for a while, and see where we can intercept him. A quiet lonely place. Do you think you can…?"

Kaur was no longer behind her. And when she look at the front again, they guy with the box could no longer be seen.

"Shit. Where did he…?"

She pulled out a gun and almost shooted, when a figure came tumbling down from between the trees, falling to her feet. It was the seller, hugging the small box against his chest. And from those trees, also came out Sherazi.

"What? How…? How did you get him here so fast?"

"Ehm… by running?"

"Yeah. No. What I mean is… Agh, forget it."

Sara kneeled down to look to the face at the scared man leaning against the car, still sitting on the floor.

"Hi." she smiled. "I don't know your name, and you have no reason to know me. But if you are who I think you are, then you have to know that an employee of your former boss is paying me to help him find you. Well, not find you. Find whatever you hold in that case."

The man alternated his look between Sara, and the woman who had just attacked him.

"So, I don't know you. But whatever is happening inside that house, I would like to be very far away when it ends. And I could get you out and safe. But after all this effort and problems, I'm starting to feel very curious about whatever this is about. If you show me, I might have a way to keep you safe."

The man chuckled. It was a tired chuckled that seemed a moment away from becoming into tears.

"No. No. There is no safe from them. Not for me." he looked up. "And if I tell you, definitely not for you."

"Is that a menace?" the first waver asked with a raised eyebrow.

"More like an advise. Well, if you are so afraid… whoever you are, why did you steal it?"

"I'm… I'm Nicholas Edwards. And I did it, because I needed the money to get out of here. I can't… I couldn't continue to be a part of what they were doing."

"What they were doing, Nick? Who was doing it?"

He went silent again.

"We are wasting too much time here." Kaur sentenced. "We are not getting our answers, and at any moment anyone could see us. We better look for a place to hide him and the box."

"Yes. But Slane is still inside that manor, and he is the only one aside Nick with answers. Also, he still has to pay me."

"Well, then wait here if you want." Kaur put Nick on his feet, and got him well hold by the arm. "I will go at a place of mine where to keep him in check until you get more answers."

"Wait." Sara lifted a eyebrow. "Do you really expect that I'm going to let you disappear alone with my price?"

"Yes. Why? You don't trust me?"

"We have met today. I don't even know you."

"Tsk. Then we will have to put amends to that." said in a flirtatious manner, before raising a hand to caress Sara's cheek. "Over dinner, maybe?"

If it wasn't because she was a good actress, the redhead was sure she would be blushing by now.

"You will have to try harder than that." Sara moved her hand to a side, before continuing. "For example… there is this exposition in…"

* * *

That took longer than Vitus expected, and at the end of the day, his prey had eluded him. But it didn't mattered He made him come outside once, and he would again. But the question was if Ferreira would still be willing to help him, after bailing out.

Just after leaving the manor, and getting to his car, being so submerged in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the door was open, he felt the cold barrel of a gun against his head. Ferreira was sitting behind him in one of the passengers seats.

"Hello, Slane."

"Ferreira." Vitus locked the doors as he watched that no one outside didn't noticed what was happening. "I was expecting you might have come here, but not so soon. You seem angry."

"Oh, angry is for when someone arrives late to a meeting." Sara moved over, and sat next to Vitus in the co-driver's seat. "Right now, I'm furious. Did you really thought that you could get out of this without paying me?"

"That was not the idea. The idea was that you could not reveal what you didn't knew. And if our objective was in Okoro's mansion, it would be better to keep you away. For your own safety."

"Oh, great. Let me guess. You were ordered to get rid of me as soon as the deal was settled, then?"

"No. I was order to make sure no information leaked, whatever way possible."

"Yeah. After all that espectacle in the manor, I guess that's difficult to maintain."

"It's not. Is still a secret."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because I have killed every single individual inside it."

Sara was about to disclaim his words as a boast, but, when she noticed that in all this time no one had come out of the manor looking either for Nick or Vitus… she started to believe him.

That moment of distraction was all Slane needed. In a single move, he simply… dismounted the weapon in Sara's hand.

"What the…?"

In another, he punched her in the throat. Somehow, he also took her other gun in the holster, and throw it in the back. When Ferreira tried to defend herself, he pushed her against the seat, immobilizing her while remaining in top.

"... Great. So that's why you always go around with an empty gun." said struggling to talk.

"Where is the engineer?"

"What are you talking about."

"I assume you have been waiting here for a while, because you knew what was happening inside the mansion. The thief with the package could only have gone out through the main door. So don't pretend you simply let him walk away."

"And you don't pretend is in any way convenient for me to tell you right now."

"Telling me is the only way for you to get paid."

"And not telling you, is the only way I have to make sure you aren't going to stab me in the back the moment I tell. Quite a dilemma we have here, don't we?"

Vitus remained silent, meditating her words. Finally, he moved to a side, and let her free.

"What do you want?"

"What I want, is clear." Sara rubbed her neck. "The interesting part is how I make sure everyone gets what they want without getting my back stabbed. Again."

"So, you want the liberty to set a meeting place for the interchange?"

"Exactly. Will your boss let that being set up."

"I already told you. He does not want any kind of word about this to get out on the street."

"Yeah. The thing is, that's already difficult with more than a dozen bodies in the streets."

"Gang wars are easy to cover. Or at least that's what I got told." Vitus looked out at the front, and let out a sigh. "Look. Being completely honest, I kind of like you."

"Oh, that's not difficult. Everybody likes me."

Slane gave her a death stare. Clearly he didn't appreciate her humor.

"What I'm saying is that I haven't told my boss anything about what has happened today yet. I can make up stuff along the way, and pretend nothing of this has happened. So I personally, have no trouble in giving you the scratches, grabbing the package, and leave our separate ways."

"I sense a but coming."

"But, what I can't make sure is that my boss won't want you silenced anyway. She might order me, or an assassin or a mercenary group to get rid of you later. Just to make sure."

"Oh. That old dilemma."

"I'm not joking."

"Neither am I."

Rapidly, the redhead pull out a dagger from up her sleeve, and sat in Slane's leap as she hold it against his throat.

"Do you know how many years I have been down here? How did I craft my reputation? Believe me, it has not been neither easy, nor secure. Your boss might be the one to finally get me, or just another in a long list of assholes that thought that could fuck with me, and that no longer get their names heard. Either way, that's my problem to solve, and I have amassed a long amount of resources to do so. But if this proves to be my end, I won't protest. It has been a fruitful and funny life. So, yeah. I appreciate it. But there is no need of you to worry about me." she finally hid the dagger again, and left Slane rubbing his throat. "Are we clear?"

"... Clear. Just…"

"Just what?"

"Be careful, ok?"

That obviously had come out more sentimental than he had intended. And Sara still noticed the embarrassed demeanor of his face when he looked to a side.

"... You are adorable, did you know that?"

And without any more words, she leaned to kiss him.

At first it surprised and startled him. But as he felt the warm and minted taste of her lips as she prolonged the kiss, Slane almost unconsciously grabbed her by the waist to eagerly kiss her back.

"I will call you back with the hour and place."

That's the last thing he remembered. Once the sweet taste of her lips had vanished from his mouth, and his mind was back to down the atmosphere, he noticed the door of the car was open, and she no longer was there. Neither were her weapons, and after a quick comprobation, Vitus found the tracer he had put on her on the inner pocket of his suit.

The corporate agent closed the door, and passed a thumb through his lips. That's not how he expected the day to pass by, but he was satisfied for now. Now, it was only a matter of patience, and if he had made the right decision trusting her.


	5. Deals

In the same neighborhood the Moura Roxa was located, there was a basement at the name of the owner of the previous local. Located near a lousy street, and just under a building in state of decay that only bums in the coldest nights took the risk of entering. It worked perfectly for any kind of business that she needed to keep away from her public side, and to deal with problems in private.

Either way, the entrance of the basement was covered by a cheap wooden door as a cover, and a high security metal gate after that one, whose code only Sara and Patch knew. Of course, she wasn't going to give that code to Sherazi. She simply gave Patch a tip that Kaur and Nick were coming, and to open and prepare the room for them.

Once Sara arrived and opened the door with her own code, she found Nick on a chair, still hugging that metal case with fear, and Kaur overlooking her weapons expositor.

"Phew. You got quite and arsenal here."

"It comes handy when trouble calls at the door of the club. Has he given you any trouble?"

"No. Hasn't even almost talked to me in the way here, or while we were waiting. And you? Did you talk with Slane?"

"Yes."

"What did he say?"

"That Okoro is dead. I made sure to check, and he was saying the truth." but she wasn't still sure how it was physically possible to twist a neck in that angle. "So, any grudge you had with him, can't longer be solved by your hands. Sorry."

"It's ok. It's enough to know he won't bother me anymore. And what about the package?"

"He agreed to pretend as if none of us knew a thing as long as I deliver the package to him."

"That's it? You don't even want to know what's inside?"

"Look, after all this time, I have learned to not ask questions whose answer doesn't really matter. I only care about the scratches, and for that, I'm more than willing to…"

"Scratches?" Sherazi looked surprised. "No wonder you were so determined to get your part! How many?"

"Why?" she rested a hand in the handle of one of the weapons under her jacket. "Do you want a part?"

"Oh, honey. Do not worry." she leaned forwards, looming over Sara as she rested a hand in the wall behind her. "You already promised me what I wanted from you."

Sara smiled, and rested a hand upon Kaur's cheek, looking at her almost with tenderness.

"... You are adorable, did you know that?" said closing her eyes, preparing to kiss Kaur.

"And what about me?"

The two women got out of mood, and took a look at Nick, still sitting nervously in the chair.

"What about you? You are going with the case, of course."

"You… you can't be serious. Have… have you any idea what they will do to me?!"

"Maybe you should have thought of that before stealing that thing." the first waver turned around, and grabbed Sara's chin. "Now, where were we? Oh, yes."

And the redhead may had follow her example, had she not heard that metallic click, and noticed the growing blue cobalt light behind Kaur.

"Move down."

"Hey, I'm glad to see you excited, but don't you think that's a little too…?"

"DOWN!"

As Sara tackled her, a blue bolt of energy crashed against the concrete wall behind them, sending dust and pebbles everywhere. Instinctively, even before her brain could determine the source of the attack, the redhead pulled here guns out, and shooted once with each one. Both shots hitting the mark.

"Oh. That down." Kaur said embarrassed.

But Sara didn't even seem to notice, as she moved from on top of her, walking towards her former target. As Kaur put herself on her feet, she noted Nick's lifeless body in the floor. One hit on the forehead, another slightly to the left of the center of his chest.

"Tsk. Poor idiot. He would have had more chances with his old boss. But he didn't had any weapons when we checked on him before." she noticed the case was now open and empty, with a weirdly shaped black porexpan interior. "Where did he got…?"

The first waver felt silent as soon as she noticed what Sara was looking at. A weapon with a weirdly organic metal casing, and a light blue glow, that decreased and increased as a heartbeat. Her toasted skin suddenly went pale.

"That… that is…"

"Yes." said Sara, struggling not to stutter. "A tyrum rifle."

* * *

That night, the Moura Roxa was full. He didn't like having to meet and make the interchange with Ferreira at her own club, but the fact of being in such a public place, and that no one asked to check him at the entrance, put his mind somewhat at ease.

He went to the bar just like the other day. This time, the dance floor at the side, in front Ferreira's office, was full of dancers. He started to look around, and noticed Patch again, sitting on the same table of the other day.

"You arrive just in the nick of time. The boss is waiting for you."

Slane nodded, and started walking towards the office.

"Not there." the wessari called his attention. "In the apartment."

The corporate agent took a look at the entrance behind the bar, and the waitress lifted the table at the side to open him pass. Just as she had been ordered to be watchful of his entrance. Vitus took a look at the wessari, who watched him with a neutral expression, and made his way behind the counter.

Just as the corporate agent got out of view moving down the corridor, Patch gestured at the waitress with a hand. And after she herself sent another gesture at the DJ on the dance floor, she touched the holographic controller on the wall, and the speakers around the bar also started playing the music. High enough to hide any other sound.

As Vitus walked up the stairs, he noted how well insonorized the hall was. But it was expectable taking into account were her home was located. He stopped himself before an automated door, and after a quick scan, he heard Sara's voice telling him to come in. In a moment, the door slided to a side.

Inside the apartment, there were located most of Ferreira's art pieces. The place was bigger than he expected, as seemed to encompass the whole two higher plants of the building, leaving room for more than two meters colorful sculptures with no discernable form, and long paintings with twisted representations of bloody battles and psychedelic scenes.

"I'm here."

Following her voice, he arrived to a big but scarcely decorated open room. At the opposite wall, there was a giant screen in t form acting as a false window, giving the illusion of being in a starship, navigating over the beautiful deserts of Mictlan. Next to it, there was a giant lava lamp that switched colours, and in front of it, two couches with an small crista table in the middle.

Laying in one of the couches was Sara. Without her jacket or boots, more comfortably dressed, and drinking a cup of partogan wine as she readed something in the pad on her hands.

"Don't stay there looking at me. C'mon. Take a seat. You know I don't bite. Unless you want me to."

After Sara winked at him, Vitus had to contain a chuckle. Even if he only had known her for a couple of days, he was warming up. It felt weird even for him, that usually keeped his distances. But nonetheless, he did as she said, and took a seat on the opposite couch. Then, Sara sighed, and got up to pick the bottle of wine and the the empty cup on the table, and sat next to Vitus in the same couch.

"Do you want?"

"No, thanks. I don't drink while working."

"Oddly fitting." said emptying her own cup.

"Well, you have the package, don't you? Where is it? And the engineer?"

"Oh, they are here alright. But before that," she put her legs on his lap. "I need to talk about something with you."

"I… sure." he seemed a little uncomfortable. "What is it?"

"Put the glasses off, please. I want to see those eyes."

Vitus remained silent, and looked down. He now seemed depressed.

"I rather prefer not to do it."

"Why? Are you afraid I see them glowing."

Vitus was completely surprised by her answer.

"How did you…?"

"An hypothesis." she sat on his lap again. "Thanks for confirming it."

As Sara tried to remove his shades, he hold her hands for a second. But after a moment, and looking at her eyes, he let her do it.

Once removed, those slanted eyes seemed to glow with a blue light. A blue light emanating from a couple of iris with electronic lines going through them.

"Wow." she smiled, almost seeing genuinely impressed. "As weird as it may seem with a life like mine, this is actually the first time I have met a clarus."

"Huh. I expected to see you more… weirded out by this."

"Please. I have wessari under my pay. Do I look like the discriminatory type to you?"

"I guess not. But…"

"Oh, I get why you hid them from everyone else. And from where all of those weird combat capabilities come. A lot of physical augmentations, I guess. But I have to say." she passed a thumb over one of his cheekbones. "You have beautiful eyes."

"... Thanks. I guess." Vitus did not knew how to act in this situation, and just after what happened at the end of their last meeting in the car.

"So now that we are seeing eye to eye," she crossed her arms behind his head, getting closer to him, and starting to whisper. "can you answer me a question?"

"What question?" a light blush started showing on his cheeks.

"Do you know what's in the case?"

"We already spoke about this. I'm not going to…"

"I don't want to know what's inside." she started undoing his tie. "Only if you know."

"Why does it matter?"

"Please." she leaned her head sideways, to kiss his neck. "I just want to know. It's important to me."

"I…" Vitus leaned his head back, enjoying the sweet sensation of her lips in his skin. "I… know."

"You do? Are you sure your boss didn't lie to you?" she started opening his shirt.

"I do. I made that specific demand when he made me the job offer, but promising to keep it confidential in exchange." finally in the right mood, Vitus grabbed her by the waist, and started kissing her neck.

"Then," suddenly, her tone of voice had gone quite sad. "I won't feel as bad doing this."

Before he could ask, Slane heard the muffled shot, and felt the piercing burning pain through the chest. His chest and open shirt were slowly turning red. Two shots more, two bolts of pain more through his body. And when he looked up, with his quivering mouth unable to ask why, he only found a stare of anger and sadness on her eyes.

"Tyrum weapons, Slane. Tyrum. Weapons. On Moksha. I have helped in the sell of many dangerous things to many dangerous people. But this?" she almost stuttered through her teeth. "Do you have any idea of the kind of damage something like this could do in these streets? If it reached distribution on the ports? This, is beyond immoral. And you knew it, and still went through with it. I'm sorry, Vitus. I'm really sorry. But you almost deserved it."

As Sara moved from on top of him, he started trying to cling to her. He still found strength to get on his feet, only to finally collapse over the crystal table. Sara just remained there, looking at his lifeless body, until Xabarín came in.

"Boss. The watchers on the street say that Lidka has just arrived."

"Understood. Lead him to my office." she washed off the blood in her face with a hand, and kneeled to start checking the body. "I will be there in a moment. I need to clean myself first."

The wessari nodded, and as he left the room, Sara took the two scratches that Vitus owed her from a pocket, and his smart along his electronic id. She was going to need both for the next part.

* * *

As Commander Samwell Lidka had imagined, Ferreira's office was full of things that had no place being there.

The senior Commander of the Iron Captors of Moksha kept his white suit, imitating military style, completely impolute. White hair had started to show over his ears, contrasting with his normally dark black hair. But even with a scar crossing at a side of his eye and over his cheek, he still kept a somehow youthful appearance. Somehow, because the gravity of his expression and the sharpness of his facial features betrayed his real status as a hard fought war veteran, and experienced mercenary.

"Sorry for the wait." said Ferreira entering the office, again in her usual garments. "I had something to take care of."

"So did I." he responded without turning around, hands in the back, while studying a faraxian abstract portrait on the wall. "But even with that, I'm here. What do you want from me, Ferreira? After your whole debacle with Kamala Mhasalkar, never I expected of you to try to meet me in friendly terms. Neither I wanted to."

"Please, take a seat." the redhead said, as if she had been ignoring his words.

"I will remain still, thank you."

"If you want to." she fell over her semi-spherical couch. "Hey, have you heard of what has happened to Okoro and his men? Ugly situation, isn't?"

"Have you dragged me here to talk about a simple gang war between shadow-marketeers? Don't waste my time. What has this to do with my captors?"

"Nothing. But I thought you might be interested in knowing what all of this was about."

He finally turned around, and looked at her, with both anger and disdain.

"What do you want?"

"Me? Nothing. Only to get rid of a problem. For me, and for the entire planet."

"I'm not making my people work for you."

"Agh." she put herself on her feet. "You don't listen, do you? No. I don't want them. I want you, to help me, to get rid of trouble."

"And why should I want to do that?"

"Again, already explained. But if you want more details, I can say this. A corporate agent from an unknown party came to me two nights ago. He needed to find something one of his employer former employees had stolen from him."

"Sounds like typical mokshan business problem to me."

"Will you stop interrupting? Anyway, the agent in question was very secretive about the nature of the package, and I was fine with not knowing, but only because I wanted to stay out of trouble with a black list object."

Samwell squinted his eyes.

"Continue."

"But unlucky me, I got to knew what was inside said package. And since I'm such a good citizen and loyal ex service member of the space fleet, I realized my duty was to prevent this object from falling into the wrong hands."

"Of course you did." he rolled his eyes. "I still don't see what is my place in this situation."

"Easy. Because of the nature of the object in question, and you will agree with me once you see it, I could not deliver it to the proper authorities. Both for evading the bad rep, and for preventing any word on the matter getting out there. So, I needed someone that could deliver this to proper terran high authorities without causing a fuss. And who better for that, than someone with private contacts with them. Like you."

His gloved hands squinted as he tightened his fists.

"Don't know what you are talking about."

"Neither do I. Clear evidence, I mean. But if I was to get the word out there, my reputation alone could spark lit even a false rumour."

"Tell me already what you want from me!"

She dropped Slane's electronic id and smart over the table.

"These belonged to the agent. They are all the clues I have for you to find the culprit. Once you open the casing behind the couch, you will understand why. So, consider this almost as a gift. And once you have it solved, make sure neither my name, neither the name of Kaur Sherazi, are mentioned in any document about this whole disaster. Deal?"

Samwell didn't answer. Instead, he went around the couch to find the case she had mentioned. Once he had opened it, his expression muted to one of complete shock.

"... Deal." he answered.

But as the mercenary looked up again, Ferreira was no longer there.


	6. Epilogue

The Palace of the Arts of Karma was one of the most beautiful and luxurious locations atop the Shining Districts. With the exterior resembling an old indian palace from Earth that got turned into dust after the Tyrum invasion, halls upon halls of it were filled with illicit xeno art. At least, illicit for the standards of the rest of the GTU. Here, they were merely exposition pieces brought by art and antiquities smugglers from all the corners of the galaxy, with many of them waiting to be bought by wealthy private collectors, archeologists, historians and museums of all corners of terran space.

But nonetheless, there were pieces the palace would never dare get rid of. Like that landscape painting representing the defense of Skira against the Vol, during the First Skirion Campaign. A sad moment, but one representing a war that meant much for the pride of the union. And a painting Kaur Sherazi really liked.

The green and black Saree she was wearing wrapped around her body, defining her well fitted form, and then hanged from her left arm, almost touching the marble floor. She let her wild twisted mane covering over her exposed right shoulder, and two beautiful artemisian green pearlplates hanging of her ears. She obviously had carefully studied her appearance for that night.

"It's that tailor-made? Because I doubt you would find anything of your size so pretty on a rental store."

She smiled after hearing Sara's voice nearing from behind. After taking a look back, she saw her beautiful red hair well tighten in a topknot, and wearing a knee cut black qipao with golden flowers motives growing around it.

"I was starting to think you weren't coming." the first waver said, turning around to look at the painting again.

"Everything went ok, if that is what you are asking. It's just that I adore arriving fashionably late at meetings. Or dates." she then offered her one of the two cups of champagne she came holding. "Chin chin, by the way."

"Chin chin for what?" Kaur accepted the champagne.

"For a well tight deal, I guess."

"You sure about that? It doesn't really worry me, but if someone is going to come down knocking at my door, I prefer to know in advance."

"Don't think so. The person I trusted to leave everything in charge of has nothing against us, and is very professional. Besides, I made sure to get rid of every relating evidence, like the security records of my club. And Vitus Slane."

"Tsk. What a shame. Didn't know him much, but I still feel kind of bad for him."

"Don't be. He made his own choices." Sara said hurling her glass. "Let's have fun now."

"You are beautiful, by the way." Kaur smiled, checking her from toes to head. "You already are, normally. But this evening, particularly so."

"Thanks. You too, by the way. With a build like yours, I didn't expected you could rock a dress like this. You can be surprisingly feminine."

"I'm a woman of fine tastes. Besides, in the parties of my rich clients, it was a matter of adapting or dieing."

"Is that how you got the tickets for this? From one of your clients?"

"Yes. He is a curator at the palace. He also recommended me the best restaurant on the area, and a nice hotel where to rent a room with views over the mountains."

"An hotel room?" Sara replied, faking innocence. "And why would we need that for?"

Kaur looked at her with a devious smile.

* * *

The electric crystals detinted themselves at the specified hour settled in the computer panel of the room. Outside, snowy shining peaks and glittering clouds, looked alive under the light of the newborn suns. Nights were short on Moksha. But Kaur and Sara didn't care much. They didn't had come here to sleep.

Inside the room, their dresses and other clothing were all over the place. Making a trail from the door to the bed. In it, only a thin sheet covered them, with everything else on the floor, or falling over the sides of the mattress. With Kaur hugging Sara from behind in spoon like form, as they both waked up.

"Hmm…. Good morning."

"Good morning." the first waver replied, tightening her embrace. "Did you sleep well?"

"After what we did last night, impossible not to."

"Glad to hear it."

After those sweet words, their lips locked once again in a light but affectionate kiss. Then, Sara pushed her aside as she got up.

"If you want a quick morning round, I'm up for it. But I need a shower first. Would be a shame not to use a deluxe shower now that I'm here."

Another thing Sara liked about her adoptive planet. The amount of stuff even the rich and powerful were inclined to overlook for the sake of pleasure and satisfaction.

"Ugh. What I'm going to do I in the meanwhile?"

"I don't know. Put the news or something."

As the door of the bathroom closed after the redhead, depriving Kaur of the beautiful view of her back, she did as she said, and put the TV on. But she couldn't care less about what the news were saying. Something about a mandatory emission of the government, and then the seemingly still image of a planet covering its sun, with a giant strange ship hovering it.

Whatever. She had other priorities in mind. So, without bothering on turning it off, she got to her feet, and went inside the bathroom, with the door closing again behind her.

"Hey! What do you think you are doing?"

"We have to save water, remember? This way, only one of us has to spent a part of her weekly amount. Besides, I can help you to get clean in the places you don't reach."

"Mother terra. Don't you give it a moment of rest? Even without those light scars between your legs, it is very obvious that you were born-aaah!... That you were born in the body of a man."

"Does that mean you want me to stop?"

"Hmm… Try that a more down, and a little slower, and we will see."

Troubled in their own happy moment, they would not get any news of what happened until the afternoon, when they finally left the room. What was happening at that exact moment, on the TV. If they had remained in bed a little longer, they would have been witnesses, like half of the galaxy and most of the union, of the historical moment humanity was finally avenged. Of the moment everything changed for the galaxy.

Of the moment Byrum died.


End file.
